Adult Túngara frog

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Frog Tadpoles That Grew Up In The City Developed Faster But Ended Up Being Smaller

Have you ever wondered how city life affects animals like frogs? A new study reveals that urban Túngara frog tadpoles develop faster —but end up being smaller — than tadpoles from forests, probably resulting in smaller adults. This might be an adaptation to warmer urban puddles with fewer predators or to constantly changing environmental conditions in the city

An uncrewed spacecraft with three main components is seen orbiting above an asteroid.

National Air and Space Museum

An Innovative Spacecraft Makes Contact With an Asteroid

A new book tells the story of the mastermind who directed NASA’s daring OSIRIS-REx mission

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Smithsonian Books

How Early Peoples Built Bark Canoes for Their Transportation

On this National Canoe Day, learn about early canoe experiments

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Teacher with short brown hair and glasses, wearing a blue shirt is smiling and clapping

Smithsonian Education

In Conversation With 2025 National Teacher of the Year Ashlie Crosson

Meet the 2025 National Teacher of the Year—Ashlie Crosson—an educator ensuring that students in her small hometown grow into lifelong learners who feel confident stepping into a world outside of the one they know

Wing view from a propeller plane flying over a vast ocean with a vibrant blue sky and clouds.

National Air and Space Museum

When Airplanes Make Emergency Landings on Water

How skill and rigorous training helped pilots endure when ditching was the only option.

Two people ride on horseback along a dirt road lined by yellowing tall grass. In front of them are a dog and dozens of cattle.

Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

The Community of Families in Western Craft Traditions of Idaho

The Idaho gearmaking community, though geographically dispersed, is tightly knit through multigenerational family ties, mentorships, and shared cultural traditions rooted in ranching and craftsmanship. At the 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, multiply families will share the skills and stories behind their work.

bow section of the wooden boat

National Museum of American History

Museum Happenings This July: Exhibits, Music and More at the National Museum of American History

The calendar of exhibitions and events happening at the museum in July 2025.

Photographed against a black background is a robot in profile wearing a silver uniform and golden-colored helmet.

National Air and Space Museum

A Robot Just Might Be an Astronaut's Best Friend

When they needed a helping hand in orbit, astronauts could count on NASA’s reliable Robonaut.

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Smithsonian Books

The Perfect Menu to Make Your Juneteenth Celebration More Memorable

Enjoy the holiday with recipes from the Sweet Home Café Cookbook

Vera Rubin in front of a green wooded area.

Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

A Life of Curiosity: Remembering Vera Rubin Through Her Granddaughter’s Eyes

A personal tribute to astronomer Vera Rubin, told through stories and memories from her granddaughter, Ramona Rubin.

The forest breathes

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Above the Tropical Forest Canopy, Sensors Capture the Fluxes of Gases Between the Trees and the Atmosphere

The air moving above the forest carries valuable information about how trees absorb carbon, and what may happen in the future as global temperatures rise

A woman reads with a young boy, the book says "wheelbarrow" in big letters

Smithsonian Education

Embark on a Smithsonian Summer Reading Adventure

Smithsonian museum educators have curated a list of their top picks for summer reading to keep kids engaged and their imaginations active, including free online resources you can access and download today

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National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

'Little Critters' Drop-In Program Lets the Smallest National Zoo Visitors Play Hands-On With Nature

At the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Little Critters: Nature Play area, young children and their caregivers can have fun with free, nature-based play activities

Nikita Khrushchev meeting JFK.jpg

Smithsonian Books

How the U.S. and the Soviet Union Made Unsuccessful Attempts to Collaborate During the Space Race

Could the moon landing have been an international program?

Group of adults and middle school children standing and actively discussing a set pf printed pictures laid out on a central table.

Smithsonian Education

Showcasing Digital Storytelling as a Tool for Active and Deep Learning

After almost a decade of hands-on workshops and ongoing research, educators share the power of digital storytelling as an approach that makes learning more personal, emotional, and impactful

A pop-up museum display, featuring a tower of several “bricks” stacked like Jenga pieces. Each brick has writing on it: Fomo, body image, masculine marketing, pick-me girls, female sexuality, gender roles, a mother’s influence.

Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

'Hey, You Kids, Get on Our Lawn!' Your Invitation to a Totally Teen Summer

During the 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the Museum of Contemporary American Teenager is teaming up with American University to bring the definitive celebration, exploration, and exposition of American teens!

Vera Rubin stands against a backdrop of a star-filled galaxy with her hands loosely clasped in front of her.

Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

New Quarter Honors Vera Rubin, Astronomer Who Revealed the Universe’s Hidden Mass

Astronomer Vera Rubin, now honored on a U.S. quarter, transformed our understanding of the universe by uncovering powerful evidence of dark matter. Her groundbreaking work revealed that most of the universe’s mass is invisible, and she paved the way for greater inclusion in science along the way.

Oil painting portrait of Harriet Beecher Stowe seated with her hands folded in her lap.

Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

How Harriet Beecher Stowe Turned Public Opinion Against Slavery

Learn how Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book Uncle Tom’s Cabin sparked national debate and changed how many Americans understood slavery.

Coral illustrations

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Drawing Out the Secrets of Coral Reef Resilience to High Ocean Temperatures

Researchers compared DNA from corals and their symbiotic organisms from two sites along the Pacific coast of Panama to better understand how the different members of the coral holobiont influence their ability to tolerate temperature extremes

Armando Lopez-Bircann wears a cobalt blue bodysuit and skirt on a stage bathed in blue light. They have a neon green, blue, and pink headdress on and face away from the audience, with in front of their shadow. To the right are props including a neon green

Archives of American Art

Extended Reality Artist Armando Lopez-Bircann Premieres Interactive Performance, 'Extended Bloom,' on June 10

How does art help us envision the future? Registration is open for "Extended Bloom," an interactive performance by artist Armando Lopez-Bircann